Female founders still face discrimination, but these women flipped the script

Kristen Norman / Blue Sky

From left, Melanie Husk, Liz Dozier, Gerri Kahnweiler and Kristi Zuhlke speak on a panel for the Midwest Women in Tech event at Google.

From left, Melanie Husk, Liz Dozier, Gerri Kahnweiler and Kristi Zuhlke speak on a panel for the Midwest Women in Tech event at Google.

(Kristen Norman / Blue Sky)

Cheryl V. JacksonBlue Sky Innovation

Fundraising in a venture capital world dominated by middle-aged white men can be difficult for women, but some are finding ways around biases to get their tech companies funded.

Kristi Zuhlke, CEO of KnowledgeHound, a market research organizing and sharing software company, said while fundraising, she didn't welcome having to answer strangers' questions about any plans to start a family.

"Their decision to invest would be based on whether I was planning on having children," said at the Midwest Women in Tech Conference last week at Google's Chicago office. "That was really shocking to me. 'Isn't that an HR violation? Where is HR?' But they can ask whatever they want. It's their money. It was a new playing ground."

But she said she found a way to make gender stereotypes work for her, appealing to the older men for advice and inviting them to coffee.

"I started asking these VCs — I played the naive card — 'I've never raised capital before. How do I do this? Where do I start?'" she said. "They'd sit down with me for 30 minutes to an hour and they'd coach me. And, little did they know, I was actually pitching them at the moment."

Zuhlke was moderator of a panel on investing in women during the day-long conference presented by Women Tech Founders. The event featured dozens of speakers sharing stories and advice with an audience that was diverse in ethnicity and age.

Those included keynoter Angie Hicks, cofounder of Angie's List, talking about her grandfather's advice when she wondered if she should leave her corporate venture capital job to start the business in Ohio.

Kristen Norman / Blue Sky

Angie Hicks, founder and face of Angie's List, speaks at the event.

Angie Hicks, founder and face of Angie's List, speaks at the event.

(Kristen Norman / Blue Sky)

"What's the difference between being 22 and looking for a job and being 23 and looking for a job?" she recalled him asking.

And Dima Elissa ⇒, CEO of VisMed 3D, recalled her road from college chemistry major, to working with NutraSweet, to printing organs.

"People will tell you who they are. Be brave, be brilliant, bebold enough to listen to them," said Elissa, chair of the Chicago chapter of Women in Bio.

Others discussed about how they help women and those in underserved communities overcome barriers in funding.

"There is this implicit bias I see when women fundraise — they're being put in situations that are just very difficult," said Gerri Kahnweiler, founder and partner in InvestHer Ventures, an early-stage investment firm focused on female founders.

"One of the things we do at InvestHer is we don't do pitches — we have conversations. We block out usually two hours, and if they get to their pitches, fine. If not, they can send it later," she said. "It's so women can be in a place that's comfortable for them. They explain their business. We ask them questions. We talk about all types of things. And then, we do our due diligence."

Kristen Norman / Blue Sky

Liz Dozier, right, is managing director of Chicago Beyond.

Liz Dozier, right, is managing director of Chicago Beyond.

(Kristen Norman / Blue Sky)

Liz Dozier, the former principal of Fenger High School, spoke about her new role as managing director of Chicago Beyond, funding programs aimed at improving youth education and safety. She said her organization, which is funded by private backers, has invested about $15 million so far.

"In the philanthropic space, it's sort of this club where the usual suspects get funded," she said. "If you're really, really tiny, it becomes hard to get support that allows you to take your idea to the next level."